Is there a real need for a HRM if you are Measuring Power?

[ssidener]

Hi, I know this is a pretty big open ended question, and obviously recording more data allows for potentially better analysis downstream, but with respect to measuring power vs. power and heart rate, is there much to be gained by keeping the heart rate monitor?

Specifically with respect to Garmin (1030). If you have a power meter, does Garmin do anything with the HR data other than record it? i.e. are all of the metrics that it records (FTP, VO2MAX, etc.) based on the power meter inputs and NOT heart rate? For training intervals, they are monitored for power.

The reason I ask is that for a long difficult ultra race like CTR, would I loose anything significant if I left the heart rate monitor at home and just used the power monitor?

Thanks!

Scott

[Dave]

Hi Scott,

Using a HR monitor in training adds value. One thing you can track is HR drift, where HR goes up but power doesn’t. HR drift can occur due to low fitness, heat, under fueling or just riding long. Another thing you might use HR for is noting how it changes (along with perceived exertion) when feeling fatigued.

Garmin does use HR for some proprietary calculations such as VO2max (both power and HR I believe are used) and a recovery time required.

Racing CTR is another story! A HR strap will just annoy you and be one more thing to manage. Leave it at home for anything longer than 12 hours. Your HR will be highest on day 1 and will be much lower the remaining days.

CTR is wicked fun…

[ssidener]

Thanks Coach Lynda! That helps. under normal circumstances I always collect and use both heart rate and power, and plan on continuing to do so. I was contemplating ditching the HRM strap for CTR for the same reasons you mentioned. Over that type of effort and duration, it will only become another small nuisance which I hope to eliminate. I was just worried that by ditching it for CTR that my Garmin might not record and compute useful metrics over the race. I want to be able to analyze those once I am done. VO2max does sound like it would use HR. Garmin doesn’t say how it calculates most metrics so that’s why I was worried. not having VO2max is OK. I think it should correctly calculate TSS and ftp.

Scott

[Dave]

Super.

To clarify a bit, the VO2max estimate is based on maximal efforts. You won’t have anything like that in CTR so you’ll miss nothing. Recovery score, well after day 1 it would just tell you to take 3 days off. You don’t need that kind of feedback in a multi-day event.

The Garmin will collect all the raw power meter data just fine, and calculate TSS, IF and normalized power just fine. The only thing it won’t calculate is average or current HR.

Dave

[Author]

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